At midnight today, it will be out with the old and in with the new. Celebrating the new year is a largely symbolic gesture, but it’s also a time to mentally put the past behind us and start anew.

More than some years, 2011 looks to be about change. November elections certainly guaranteed change in the federal government and many statehouses. In January, many longtime members of Congress will step aside — either by their own choice or that of the constituents in their districts. Leadership positions in the U.S. House will change hands, and the Obama administration will have to change the way it does business with the legislative branch.

If this shift leads to more compromise and a sharper focus on making decisions, even tough decisions, based on what is best for the country, it could be a change for the better. If it intensifies the focus on scoring political points or blocking any action that might make the opposing party look good, it also could be a change for the worse.

Kansas also is expecting significant change in its state government. November elections produced a major sweep of state offices by Republicans, along with a stronger GOP majority in the Kansas House. Change certainly seems to be on the horizon, but how great that change will be is uncertain. It seems unlikely that the most conservative Republican legislators will be able to change as many things as they want, but their battle will be more with other members of their party — those in the Senate and perhaps the new governor — rather than with the tiny Democratic minority.

Both higher education and K-12 schools in Kansas have little to look forward to in the coming year when it comes to state funding, but there may be some other bright spots.

Kansas University is on the verge of hiring people in a number of game-changing positions: several deans and the important athletic director’s job. Supporters of KU and higher education in Kansas all should hope that the people hired for those jobs will lead the university in a dynamic and positive direction.

The Lawrence school district also is looking at significant change next fall when it moves ninth-graders into the high schools and transforms its junior highs into middle schools for sixth through eighth grades. School officials are working hard to make that a positive change. Decisions made this year also may affect the future of several district elementary schools. A community task force has undertaken a very positive process to help guide the future of elementary schools, but if its members conclude that certain schools need to be combined or closed, it will be hard for some in the community to see that as anything but a negative.

Other changes surely are on the horizon. Some positive changes we’d like to see are a decline in national unemployment and an increase in new business activity in Lawrence. The city is expected to fill the important post of police chief soon, and city and county officials have the development of the former Farmland property to look forward to.

Change is inevitable. The struggling U.S. economy has made the last couple of years not so bright for many Americans. As we close the door on 2010, we hope that 2011 will bring many changes for the better for the nation, the state and everyone here in Lawrence.

Happy New Year!